Seems like you are using mixed methods. Mixed method is when you are using two or more different data collection and analysis in the same study. You then triangulate your findings into one. Multimethod in when you conduct separate, but different, data collection and analysis in the form of multiple studies to answer the same research questions.

Hello Norhayati,

There already is a thread which answers this question:

https://www.researchgate.net/post/What-is-the-difference-between-multimethods-and-mixed-methods

Hope this will be helpful.

Ivan

Dear Norhayati

Mixed methods is a particular design (see Vicki Plano Clark for an overview), it is not just mixing methods (which for good reasons should be called methodological triangulation). Mixed methods is the strategic combination of qualitative and quantitative data collection and combination for very specific reasons, i.e. you need to design your study from the start as 'mixed method'. It is absolutely fine just to say that your study is based on a triangulation of methods, but as it is not designed as a mixed method study I would advise against using that particular concept.

Ane

Norhayati Abdul Razak Hi, a study that uses both quantitative and qualitative research designs need not be classified as a mixed-methods study. With that said, a mixed-method study involves both quantitative and qualitative research methods but the outcome of one article will generally give rise to the design of the other paper. For example, you have designed a quantitative study and have analyzed the data but you feel that you need more information to understand a certain section of the findings, and maybe a qualitative study can give you that extra information needed to better understand the topic under study. I hope that helps.

A lot depends on your actual design, and the way(s) that you integrated the different methods. For example, if you used the qualitative study to help develop the content for the quantitative survey, then this might be an exploratory sequential design (qual --> QUAN).

According to Mark (2015), mixed methods design refers to combining quantitative and qualitative methods in a single study with an explicit indication of the purpose of blending the two approaches. Multimethods design, on the other hand, is combining two or more methods of data collection, with no indication or suggestion that both quantitative and qualitative approaches are used. The visual by Salmons (2018), attached, is explicatory on the two designs; besides, it clarifies a third type: Multimodal methods, which is mixing two or more forms of data gathered with one or more methods.

Salmons, J. (2018, April 3). Using elicitation in multimodal studies. MethodSpace. https://www.methodspace.com/using-elicitation-in-multimodal-studies/

Mark, M. M. (2015). Mixed and multimethods in predominantly quantitative studies, especially experiments and quasi-experiments. In S. N. Hesse-Biber & B. Johnson (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of multimethod and mixed methods research inquiry (pp. 21–41). Oxford University Press. https://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199933624.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780199933624-e-15

Good luck,

Mixed-Methods and Multimethod Research From the book Soziologie - Sociology in the German-Speaking World Felix Knappertsbusch, Bettina Langfeldt and Udo Kelle, https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110627275-018.

please see this chapter:

https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110627275-018/html

Thank you all for the answers. Ive been doing research on the two terms; the mixed and the multi methods and get confused with which will i used for my phd research methodology. A big thank you for all your responses. Atira Ety

I think there is no requirement for integrating QUAL and QUAN in mixed-methods. In contrast, integration of studies is a must in mixed-methods. Multi-methods can use one or multiple paradigms while mixed-methods study follows one paradigm throughout the study.

However, mixed-methods approach is criticized to promote the combination of qual and quant only while there is possibility to combine other study designs.

Thank you.